Iron Maiden
by Sors
Summary: Draco knew in an instant that so long as he remained locked with in this sultry maiden he would never sleep, never eat, and never die. He would bleed to death, be electrocuted, and healed all in the same miraculous moment. DH DL


**Iron Maiden - Prelude**

Draco slammed his copy of Potions closed and stared up at the long black ceiling above his room in the Order's Headquarters. Surely he wasn't going to be stuck in this locked room for the rest of his life. Surely he wouldn't have to deal with the bloke of a house elf Kreacher any longer. That pitiful creature's constant worship was far more then he could handle.

"Terrible, terrible crime to lock away the one who should be master of this house. None of them are worthy, none of them should be here. Oh the mistress would be so glad to see a pure-"

"Shut up!" Malfoy growled letting the book balance on his palm ready and willing to throw it.

The tiny decrepit house elf looked at his "worthy" master and bowed. "As my master wishes."

"You master really wishes you would leave him in peace as well."

"Of course my master."

Malfoy rolled his eyes and leaned back into the armchair situated next to the unbreakable windows. His eyes roamed out onto courtyard which was once owned by the wealthy Black family. His thoughts drifted to his mother as he looked out on the muggles.

Narcissa Malfoy for all her bravo, beauty and grace had ended up nothing but a cheep slut to his old potions master. His own mother, to protect him, had taken it upon herself to save him from the "punishment".

She'd failed of course. Ended up used by Snape. Gotten his father killed. Left him to decompose in the iron maiden below the Dark Lord's prison. Narrsisa would be dead if not for her sister's devotion to the Dark Lord.

He pushed a hand through his mildly tangled hair and let out a sigh. A part of him was thankful for the Order's daring attempt to rescue Lupin. The other half feeling guilty for allowing himself to be held "prisoner" by a fuzzy mudblood.

A knock at the door captured his attention, and he turned to see none other then the glamorous Harry Potter with his wild black hair standing in the doorway.

"I wanted to have a word with you Malfoy." He said, in an unflinchingly cold way that reminded Draco of the Dark Lord.

"Apparently you do." He replied mildly.

"Why didn't you do it. You've bragging about it for ages to your friends. I couldn't imagine you'd loose your chance to kill him." Potter spoke with a suddenly striking passion in his voice.

Malfoy stuffed his nose into the air and then remarked in a perfectly cool voice. "I'm no killer like my father Potter."

Harry's eyes narrowed behind his spectacles and the look sent a tiny chill up Draco's spine. Yet he ignored it. After all he'd been through, he was unwilling to allow some sappy Gryffindor to put him in his place.

"So why did Voldemort have your father executed even if Snape finished the job for you." Harry asked his eyes piercing into Malfoy's.

The pair stared at each other for a long moment. Contesting with their will, until at last they both turned away. Equality was something enemies often prided themselves on. Just as Voldemort considered himself equal to Dumbledore, Draco considered himself equal to Harry.

A soft whisper came from the door and Draco looked up to see Hermione, the stone eyed girl who'd saved him from a fate as brutal as could be known.

"Harry, they just arrived."

"Alright." His ice cold tone vanished and he retreated from the room leaving the bewitching Hermione to stand there and look at Draco.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"Don't. I wish I hadn't."

"I know, but I thank you anyway." He nodded his head gracefully at her allowing a few of his stray hairs to flutter down in front of his face. Hermione looked down on him, noticing that he was slowly starting to resemble a human after so many weeks of treatment. She breathed out a sigh. "It is, rather nice having Kreacher behave for once, I suppose it's almost worth it to have you around."

Malfoy let out a slight groan and looked at her through silted eyes at the mention of mislead house elf.

"Anything you want for lunch?" She asked rapidly changing the subject and becoming far more cordial all in one stroke. Perhaps the Gryffindor though she could change him.

Didn't everyone?

"I'll ask Kreacher." He replied airily and turned back to pouring over the Potions book.

She watched him for a moment perhaps expecting some great revelation of his love for her, or his wishes to become "good"; yet. seeing those un-forthcoming she backed out of the room and locked the door. Heading away from the man she'd mistakenly saved.

He looked back up at the solid wood frame after he was sure she had left.

Hard to believed he owed more then his life to Hermione Granger.

A.N: If your interested in reading more of this I have a small community (friends only) on LJ where I have a few more chapters uploaded. http/ community.livejournal. com/megavolcano/. Just leave a comment and I'll add you.

I do not own Harry Potter, the characters, the magic, or the idea.


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